10 of the Most Interesting and Important Legal Cannabis Careers

So you want to work in the legal cannabis business? You’re not alone. The marijuana industry is one of the fastest growing and most lucrative niche markets to exist since the dot COM boom of the 1990’s. But it takes much more effort than simply loving weed to secure a sustainable career in the industry. What are some of the most interesting and important careers in the legal cannabis industry? We’ve compiled a list of 10, in no particular order. Read on to find out more.

1. Security Guards

This is a no-brainer. When you run a dispensary or retail location with so much valuable product, you’ll need some help ensuring it doesn’t ‘grow legs’ and find its way out of your store without anyone paying for it. In addition to loss prevention measures, the main job of a security guard at most dispensaries and retail locations is to card patrons to make sure they’re of legal age to imbibe. Previous experience in a security guard position and the cannabis industry is usually preferred, but is not always necessary.

2. Extract Lab Technicians

As we’ve covered previously, concentrates and extracts are extremely popular in the legal cannabis industry these days. So obviously, there needs to be someone who can make these extracts. These positions vary widely, from simply inserting flower into the extraction machine and awaiting the results, down to the necessity for some deeply scientific cannabis knowledge – it all depends on the facility.

3. Delivery

It’s not just for getting pizza anymore. While of course there are some people that might fall into the lazy stoner stereotype that don’t feel like leaving their couch to get weed, more importantly, there are patients suffering from debilitating diseases that are often unable to leave their houses to pick up their medicine. There are also parents of sick children in need of cannabis oil who might not want to be seen walking into marijuana dispensaries, so delivery personnel are huge for them.

4. Solar Energy Experts

If there is any market that would immediately buy into ‘going green’ to save the environment, it’s the weed industry. There are many growers, breeders and cannabis enthusiasts who swear by nothing but the best buds grown in soil with the rays of the sun, and rightfully so – there exists no better source of energy in our galaxy than our sun. Solar panel businesses also need sales reps, customer service personnel and installation techs to help customers get the most out of their decision to install solar panels.

5. Dispensary Managers

If you’ve ever worked a retail job, you know how crucial it is to the success of the store to have a good management team. Cannabis retail locations and dispensaries are no different. Just like other retail locations dispensary managers handle most aspects of hiring new employees, letting go of ones that aren’t working out, making sure their staff is working as efficiently as possible, and putting together everyone’s work schedule. Depending on the location, a dispensary manager might also be in charge of payroll as well.

6. Marketers

Since the cannabis industry can be a cutthroat business, it’s imperative to have a marketing specialist who can attract new customers and keep old ones. Since marketing is a job that tends to attract those who are well spoken and articulate, cannabis marketers are usually also big advocates of legalization as a whole and often tend to be political activists outside of work.

7. Finance Innovators

Due to some of the harshest regulations in any industry, obtaining and keeping a business bank account can be hard to come by in the cannabis business. This has created a niche market within the cannabis industry, with creative finance experts developing methods to take Crypto currency such as Bitcoin for cannabis products, and coming up with other innovative ways to get paid for marijuana that doesn’t always have to include tons of paper cash.

8. Bud Trimmers

In a perfect world, marijuana plants would develop flowers that just fell off, without any need for any human labor at all. Of course, this is most certainly not the case; so efficient bud trimmers are essential for the success of any growing facility. You won’t be getting rich by any stretch of the means as a bud trimmer, but it is a job that will likely be in high demand as the legal cannabis industry continues to grow along with the beautiful green plants.

9. App Developers

Just about every vaporizer on the market today comes with some kind of downloadable app for your smartphone. Someone has to produce these apps, obviously, and doing so is pretty big money. There are apps for every aspect of the cannabis industry, though, not just for the consumer side. Larger B2B companies create software and apps that can help track seed to sale, monitor sales trends and successes of employees, and even help with web-based market. There are also many apps that help customers find exactly the strain, extract or edible they’re looking for, at the right price.

10. Travel Agents and Guides

An emerging niche market in the cannabis industry is tourism and weed-based travel. In the U.S., cannabis is only legal in select states, so naturally, residents of other areas want to visit those legal states so they can toke up legally. But a cannabis tour guide isn’t just showing you around town, they often have access to grow facilities that tourists can check out, and know exactly which dispensaries and retail locations sell what kind of product people might be looking for.

What are your thoughts on careers within the legal cannabis industry? Did we miss any jobs on this list? If you’re looking for work in the industry, what would be your dream job? Let us know in the comments. We love hearing your feedback.